The Sweetest Repentance
by beautyqueenforbes
Summary: With all the regrets in the world built up in Sweet Pea after her return to her home, she takes the risk to save Baby Doll from living the rest of her life trapped inside her own mind. But when faced with tough decisions, can she make her goal a reality?
1. Breaking Free

Sweet Pea smoothed down the skirt of her dress, gazing out the window of her bedroom. She'd explained everything to her parents, who had willingly accepted her back. They shared tears over Rocket, even honoring her memory with a short ceremony in the front yard.

She stroked the glass calmly, biting back tears. She'd lost Amber, Blondie, and even Rocket. However, what stung the most was the loss of Baby Doll. She'd begun to develop feelings for Baby Doll, and she hadn't wanted to lose her, too.

She wasn't sure if things would've been any different had she stayed. Perhaps she would be a vegetable like Baby Doll surely was by now, forever trapped in her own mind. She couldn't imagine anything worse, but Baby Doll had a history of vivid fantasies. Whatever went on in her mind would surely be enjoyable enough to perhaps make it worth it. She would be living without any real pain.

A strange thought then came to Sweet Pea. What if she were the one to save Baby Doll? Perhaps she could catch a bus back to the Lennox House for the Mentally Insane and sneak in to save her.

She stood up abruptly and drummed her fingers on the dresser that had not even changed as far as its contents went since she left to follow her dear sister. A vivid memory of Rocket came back to her. She winced as she pictured Rocket pulling a wig off and shaking her short, pixie cut hair out. Rocket had loved Baby Doll, as much as she'd loved her own sister. She sang Baby Doll's praises whenever she could, always going back to the memory of Baby Doll holding a knife to the throat of the Chef when Rocket was attacked for taking a piece of chocolate.

Sweet Pea then thought back to when she'd last seen Baby Doll. It'd been a fleeting glimpse of her as she calmly walked back towards those who had wanted to hurt her. She could remember the way her handwriting curved as she wrote the items necessary for escape, and watching jealously when Baby Doll first danced. More vivid memories flooded her, and she winced again. If Rocket were here, she would be going to save Baby Doll.

Sweet Pea turned to gaze back towards the window. She owed this to Amber and Blondie. She owed it to Baby Doll. And most of all, she owed it to Rocket. She was the only one who had come out in one piece. It should've been her sister.

Gently, she pushed the window open, gazing down at the grassy, soft ground. Angling her body, she slid out of it and landed on her knees on the ground. Wrapping her fist around a few lilies, she yanked them out of the ground and dragged herself to the marker left behind for Rocket. She kissed each petal individually, and then placed it before the marker. "I'm sorry, Rocket," She said. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

She stood and turned back to the house, brushing the strands of grass off of the white fabric of her dress. Baby Doll could come and live with her, and fill the now empty bed across from her where her sister had once slept. Her parents would understand, though they would be disappointed to see her come and go so quickly.

She gazed up at the sky, darkened with a fresh sprinkle of rain. The fine dew coating the grass left her bare feet wet. As she yanked the shovel that her mother had so carelessly left stuck in the ground after gardening, she imagined Baby Doll living with her. She could imagine sleeping across from her, hugging her when they awoke in the morning and before they went to the sleep in the evening, eating with her at night, and introducing her to her parents, among other things. She walked to the front of the house, taking in the sweet scent of blooming hydrangea bushes, fresh basil and chives, and the lemon trees that provided both sour yet delicious lemons and shade on humid summer days. Hidden in the same place it had been before she had left was a small package wrapped in brown paper and tied with a ribbon made of blue silk. She gently lifted it, tugged a lemon or two from the tree in the front yard, and waited.

In what was roughly twenty minutes, the bus rolled to a stop before her home. Sweet Pea smiled at the bus driver, whom she'd come to know well, and took her seat at the usual place, directly across from him.

"It's been a while since I've seen you," He commented, closing the doors with the lever to his right, and speeding off down the road. "Where are you heading today, Sweet Pea?"

She smiled as he said her true name. Her parents had referred to her with her birth name, but she preferred to be known as Sweet Pea. It brought back memories of Baby Doll, and of Rocket. "The Lennox House for the Mentally Insane," She replied, removing the ribbon from around the package.

The bus driver didn't seem alarmed by her choice, his old face still calm. "What business would a fine young lady such as you have in an abandoned brothel?" He asked.

"It isn't abandoned," Sweet Pea was quick to say, fastening her hair into a tight bun with the ribbon's assistance. "I know for a fact that there are still people there."

He only had to raise an eyebrow, yet Sweet Pea knew what his next question was.

"One of the doctors there, and an old patient. The patient was a friend of mine, a long time ago." Sweet Pea cleared her throat as she began to open to the package.

The bus driver's wrinkles deepened as he smiled and shook his head, continuing on to what would be her last visit to the Lennox House.

The bus was still empty besides Sweet Pea and the driver as it came to a stop at the Lennox House for the Mentally Insane. She studied it closely from the window by her seat. It was like a ruin, with the windows broken in, the walls charred, and ashes scattered about.

She stood, stepping out into the narrow hallway between the aisles of seats. She carried the sealed package, cradling it to her chest. She exchanged a knowing smile with the bus driver and a hasty good-bye before she stepped onto the abandoned grounds of the Lennox House for the Mentally Insane. If this would be the last time she was here, she had to make it count.


	2. Her Awakening

The Lennox House for the Mentally Insane contained only two inhabitants, not including the souls of the dancers that had died in vain. One inhabitant was as beautiful as she was mysterious. Her hair, the color of the finest corn silk, was secured by two hair ties. Her large doe-like eyes remained consistently affixed on what seemed like nothing. Her name was Baby Doll. The second inhabitant seemed like a composed woman. Her stern, yet beautiful gaze could unnerve even the most strong-willed of people. Her dark hair was pulled into an immensely tight bun. Yet, underneath the façade was a frightened woman full of despair. She spent most of her nights restraining herself from letting the tears slip out of her eyes. Her name was Madam Gorski.

Since the destruction of the asylum, Madam Gorski had appointed herself the caretaker for Baby Doll, and had made a home for them in the sole untouched room. It was a pitifully small room, with two hospital beds on either corner (both of which Madam Gorski had painstakingly dragged from the ruins of other rooms) and bright fluorescent lights that flickered throughout the night, but never turned off.

These poor conditions were not a bother to Baby Doll. She rested in silence on one of the hospital beds, only being moved when Madam Gorski took the task of attempting to feed her upon herself. During the short time they had to become acquainted, Madam Gorski had come to love the young Baby Doll as a mother. She spent her free time lovingly brushing Baby Doll's hair, and reading to her from her few books that had not perished in the fire. Baby Doll could not comprehend the words Madam Gorski said, yet Madam Gorski liked to believe that she could. She liked to believe that Baby Doll was happy.

One evening, Madam Gorski lay silent on her side of the room, gazing into Baby Doll's eyes. Tears slowly ran down her cheeks. Despite the painful fact that Baby Doll could not hear her, she spoke to the girl in her thick accent. "I'm so sorry," She whispered, her voice shaky. "I should've known; I should've done more." She reached across the small space between her bed and Baby Doll's, and took the girl's hand in her own. "I'll make it all better for you…Baby Doll. I promise."

She watched Baby Doll for a few seconds longer, searching desperately for a sign of consciousness, but all she found was lifelessness. She sighed sadly, letting Baby Doll's hand fall back on to the side of the bed. Standing, Madam Gorski crossed the room to stand before a small wooden end table with a record player placed atop it. Beside it rested the charred remains of the records that had been used for the shows; only a few had survived unharmed. She lifted one of the unharmed records, and used the sleeve of her dress to wipe away the dust. She gently placed the record on the record player, and adjusted the machine until the pleasant sound of music was emitted.

_…And if you complain once more, you'll meet an army of me…_

A jolt of surprise overtook Madam Gorski, and her eyes automatically went to Baby Doll. It was the very song that she had played for Baby Doll for the girl's first dance. It had been there that they had discovered her raw, beautiful talent for dance. As the familiar song continued to play, Madam Gorski could have sworn she had seen Baby Doll stir from her place on the bed. A soft creak was emitted from the charred joints of the bed.

"Please," Madam Gorski whispered just barely, turning the volume up by small increments every few seconds. The room seemed to pulse with the beats of the song, and Madam Gorski began to sway to the music.

And then, it happened. Baby Doll opened her eyes.

Madam Gorski dove to the girl's side, watching her intently as Baby Doll groaned and smacked her dry lips together. "Where am I…? What happened….?" She moaned, rolling onto her side. Madam Gorski's eyes began to tear up, and she grabbed Baby Doll's hand once again and held it tight.

"Is this a dream?" Madam Gorski whispered in disbelief. After so long of wishing and hoping, her prayers were finally being answered.

Baby Doll had finally woken up.


End file.
